The Melody Web what each genre heard, and what it passed on

heard passed on Click or tap a node to recenter. Use a connecting line, or Influence, for the story.

Heard

Dancehall genre · 1979–

Reggae en español is dancehall’s Spanish-language Panama child: same riddim-and-toast job, recoded for a local club.

Influence

Reggae en español

style · 1977–

Also called Spanish reggae, Panamanian reggae

Kind of Dancehall

Panamanian Spanish-language reggae and dancehall of the late 1970s–90s: Jamaican riddims recut with Spanish toast and a local club (Renato, El General, Nando Boom). It is a style of Dancehall, not a leftover “Spanish reggae” bin and not an alias of Puerto Rican Reggaeton. Reggae waits one step (dancehall). Calypso leftover. Salsa is not a parent. The hop into San Juan club music is reggae en espanol reggaeton. Chart landings are reggae en espanol pop.

Listen

  1. El meneaíto Renato (1990) YouTube
  2. Tu pun pun El General (1991) YouTube
  3. Muevelo El General (1991) YouTube · Spotify · Amazon
  4. Ellos benia Nando Boom (1990) YouTube
  5. Son Bow Edgardo Franco (El General) (1991) YouTube · Spotify

Passed on

Pop genre · 1958–

Early-1990s pop takes reggae en español’s Spanish toast over a dancehall riddim as a Latin chart-single dialect (El General).

Influence
Reggaeton genre · 1994–

Reggaeton takes Panama’s Spanish toast over a dancehall riddim and recodes it as a Puerto Rican mixtape-and-club school.

Influence

Dancehall → Reggae en español

meter and grooveperformance practiceform and structurestrength: highscholarly consensus1985–1992recordingradiomigration

Mechanism

Reggae en español is dancehall’s Spanish-language Panama child: same riddim-and-toast job, recoded for a local club. Strength high. It is a style of dancehall. Reggae waits one step (dancehall). The later San Juan recoding is reggae en espanol reggaeton.

Evidence

El General, Nando Boom, and Renato against Kingston dancehall riddims (Grove, Manuel).

Debate

Whether this is already dancehall. The riddim-and-toast grammar is dancehall’s; the named Panamanian Spanish school is reggae en español’s.

Mediators

artist: El General

Reggae en español → Pop

meter and groovemelodyform and structurestrength: mediumwell documented1991–1993recordingradio

Mechanism

Early-1990s pop takes reggae en español’s Spanish toast over a dancehall riddim as a Latin chart-single dialect (El General). Strength medium. dancehall pop is the later Jamaican toast hop; this file is the Panama recoding.

Evidence

Muevelo (Starr, Grove).

Debate

Whether this is still reggae en español. The Spanish toast and riddim are that school’s; the Billboard job is pop’s.

Mediators

artist: El General

Reggae en español → Reggaeton

meter and grooveperformance practicemelodystrength: highscholarly consensus1991–1997recordingradiomigration

Mechanism

Reggaeton takes Panama’s Spanish toast over a dancehall riddim and recodes it as a Puerto Rican mixtape-and-club school. Strength high. dancehall reggaeton remains the Jamaican dembow hop; this file is the Spanish-language Panama hinge (El General). A leftover “Spanish reggae” catch-all stays unfiled.

Evidence

Muevelo and allied Panama 45s moving on San Juan radio (Grove, Manuel).

Debate

Whether this is already reggaeton. The Panama hits are dancehall in Spanish; the named Puerto Rican underground (Playero, Daddy Yankee) is reggaeton’s.

Mediators

artist: El General